The Consequences Of Failure
by Minion Of Sekhmet
Summary: When Asajj Ventress, dark Jedi, fails one of Dooku’s assignments she must return to face the consequences of displeasing a Sith. Please Read and Review.


The Consequences Of Failure

_Disclaimer: Star Wars is all George Lucas's. I own nothing sob._

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Asajj Ventress, Commander of the Separatist Army and feared Jedi killer, was terrified.

She had failed her last assignment, therefore failing Count Dooku. The assignment had been simple enough, if not easy. So much in fact, that she had almost refused to do it … until Dooku had reminded her whom she served.

Asajj had been told to follow the signal of the tracking device on the ship of a spy whom had leaked secrets to the Republic. Asajj was to kill the spy and, if possible, return his ship and head to Dooku. But when she boarded the spy's ship, Asajj had found 3 Jedi Masters waiting for her. It had been a trap. Cursing, she had had no choice, but to flee.

And now here she was in Count Dooku's personal quarters aboard the _Invisible Hand_, the flagship of that killing machine, Grievous. She could even see the holocron filled with secrets of the Sith atop Dooku's desk. How she longed to be a Sith! To have all that power and strength. But her chances of becoming Dooku's apprentice were slim indeed now…

Asajj whirled around as the door to the quarters opened and in walked the Count himself! She braced herself for what was to come. Dooku was usually not very forgiving. "Asajj, you disappoint me. Why have you not done as I told you?" The Count's elegant tone was laced with quiet anger.

"There were three Jedi Masters waiting for me, and the spy himself was nowhere to be seen. What could I have done? I had no choice." Asajj's voice was firm, but inside she was shaking. Dooku was far more powerful than her and he could cut her down in seconds.

"Excuses. Why did you not fight them? Kill them? Ah, I see… you were scared weren't you? Scared to lose your life? I have no use for a coward, and this is not the first time you have failed me." Dooku advanced towards her, but Asajj held her ground, staring at him defiantly.

"That may be so, yet here I stand. You have not yet struck me down. Why is that so?" Asajj was taking a risk here. Dooku could kill her now, where she stood. Or he might remind himself why she was valuable alive and spare her. It was a gamble, but it was one Asajj took without hesitation.

"You are powerful, that is true. But Grievous is more so than you. You could not hope to best him in a duel and he carries the lightsabres of the Jedi he has killed as proof. You too have killed many but could you defeat Grievous? I don't think so. Also, Master** Sideous** has been reminding me of the way to deal with failures." Dooku ignited his blade and began to circle Asajj.

Asajj's mind raced. If this truly was the end, then she would face it unafraid, and not flee. Better to be cut down suddenly by a blade then to run for your whole life, always looking over your shoulder. But she still had one card left to play. She knew that Dooku thought her lovely, like a rose and a thorn mixed together. Maybe she could use that to her advantage…

Asajj ignited her own two blades and shifted into her ready position. "So, this is how it ends? You would slay me? Me, whom you think so lovely, so … beautiful?" This was a dangerous game she was playing, anger Dooku enough and there would not be even a slim chance for her life.

"Yes, perhaps I do think you lovely, even beautiful. But all beauty must die." Dooku responded while attacking her fiercely. Asajj parried the blows and launched her own attack, using the Force to leap over Dooku, striking at his head. Dooku counted this by parrying her blades, while at the same time landing a blow to her right hand causing her to drop the lightsabre she held in it.

Reduced to only one blade, Asajj met Dooku head on. The two parried and attacked ferociously for several long minutes before Dooku used the Force to send her flying backwards, crashing into Dooku's desk. The resulting impact caused Asajj's gip on her remaining lightsabre to weaken and Dooku easily snatched it from her hand, while bringing his own blade to her throat.

Asajj glared up at him. "Kill me now then. Why wait?" She asked, eyeing the blade that was dangerously close to her skin. "Yes… you have failed me, but you have strength...power… hatred. I knew this from when I first met you on Ratatak." Dooku disengaged his lightsabre and moved way from Asajj, allowing her to rise to her feet. Asajj looked at Dooku suspiciously. There was something coming… He would not allow her to just walk away from this. What was it? What did Dooku have planned… how would he make her suffer?

Her questions were answered as Dooku spun around and hurled Sith Lightning at her. With a cry of pain she fell to knees. Asajj shook with pain but refused to topple into unconsciousness. She was strong and her pain fuelled her hatred and her strength. She would not cry out again.

The Count kneeled before her so that he could look into her eyes and stopped the torment of the Sith Lightning. Asajj relaxed slightly and raised her head to look at Dooku. "You were right about what you said. You are lovely…" Dooku paused and caressed her cheek

Asajj felt the emotions within her war. Dooku was an old man… but he was powerful in the ways of the Darkside and that was highly attractive to Asajj... Also she could use this to her advantage in the future…

Asajj leaned forward slightly and Dooku kissed her. Asajj could taste the power of the Sith within him. Suddenly she became aware of the humming sound of a lightsabre and seconds later Dooku slashed her leg with it. Asajj would have cried out with pain, had she and Dooku not been kissing. He deepened the kiss as the pain in her leg grew and when she thought she could not bear it any longer, Dooku placed one hand over the wound and called upon the Force to heal it.

With one last spasm of pain which caused Asajj, more on instinct to wrap her arms around Dooku's waist, Dooku broke the kiss roughly and stood, towering above her. Asajj finally had a chance to examine her leg, and she found that there was a nasty scar on it.

"The Sith have no need for beauty, Asajj. Do not fail me again, or your head shall be sliced, not your leg. And no amount of power of the Force can fix that." Dooku swept out of the room leaving Asajj to mull over what had transpired.

_Finis_

_Please review, but no flames. :) _


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